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Kaleida Health released the following updates over the weekend regarding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic:
Antibody Testing Open To General Public – Kaleida Health is offering COVID-19 antibody tests to anyone in the Western New York community.
"Offering communitywide antibody testing will continue to help provide important information about who has had COVID-19," said Jody Lomeo, president and CEO of Kaleida Health. "From a public health standpoint, that’s important. We are doing all that we can to expand testing and ensuring access in the community for anyone who wants or needs to get tested."
The Kaleida Health Laboratories are antibody testing at locations in Buffalo, Cheektowaga, North Tonawanda and Orchard Park.
Appointments can be made online at www.kaleidahealth.org/antibodytesting or by calling the Kaleida Health coronavirus hotline at 716-859-3222 (open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.).
Results will be available in three to four days in the Patient Portal on the MyKaleida mobile app. The link to the Patient Portal is in the "My Health" section.
For additional information visit: https://www.kaleidahealth.org/kyi/news/?i=14231.
Kaleida Health Receives 47,000 N95 Masks For Frontline Staff – Kaleida Health continues to deliver on its promise to keep its workforce safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last week, the health system received a planned shipment of 47,000 N95 masks.
This additional supply of masks – combined with social distancing, increased hand washing, universal masking, acquiring face shields, access restriction for visitors and vendors, mandatory temperature checks, access to telemedicine and work from home measures – will ensure Kaleida Health remains a healthy and safe workplace.
The organization has made a commitment to offer an N95 mask to any employee who requests it.
Doulas At Kaleida Health Hospitals Offer Moms Additional Support – Kaleida Health will allow doulas back into Oishei Children’s Hospital and Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital as an additional support person for laboring moms.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently accepted recommendations from the New York State COVID-19 Maternity Task Force that doulas are an essential part of the support care team and should be allowed to accompany a pregnant woman during labor and delivery as an additional support person, as medically appropriate.
Doulas will be required to follow all temperature screening and personal protective equipment (PPE) protocols to protect health care workers and patients.
“Allowing doulas will be a great support to our laboring moms – especially those from the Buffalo immigrant and refugee communities,” said Cassie Church, MSN, NEA-BC, RNC-NIC, chief nursing officer at Oishei Children’s Hospital.
Bills Player Dion Dawkins Pays Virtual Visit To Pediatric Patient – Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins recently paid a virtual visit to Finley, a pediatric patient at Oishei Children’s Hospital. Dawkins watched as Finley opened gifts delivered by the hospital’s child life team, including a Bills-branded superhero cape, water bottle and pennant.
Pegula Sports & Entertainment Thanks Health Care Heroes – Pegula Sports & Entertainment created a special public service announcement to thank the health care workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. The video features several members of the Kaleida Health team. See video here: https://www.buffalobills.com/video/we-ve-got-this.
Chinese Club Of WNY Donates Meals For Frontline Staff – As part of the Chinese American Food of Love Day – a nationwide effort to help people in need to commemorate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month – the Chinese Club of Western New York delivered meals to support frontline staff at Kaleida Health.
The Chinese Club of WNY previously donated 13,000 surgical masks to Kaleida Health.
‘Medically Speaking’ Coronavirus Edition Featuring Chris Lane – The president of Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute, Chris Lane, shares some of the challenges the hospital has faced in the past 60 days while continuing to put employee and patient safety first during the coronavirus crisis. Hear his message of pride and gratitude for nurses, physicians and all health care workers caring for patients. See the full “Medically Speaking” interview here: https://www.kaleidahealth.org/medically-speaking/.
Image courtesy of the Office of Andrew Cuomo.